


Among Other Things

by spilladrop4orpheus



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:35:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23136283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spilladrop4orpheus/pseuds/spilladrop4orpheus
Summary: After the events of Hadestown, Hades and Persephone have different ideas about how to try again and it makes for an interesting train ride home.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Hadestown)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 107





	Among Other Things

Persephone stood on the station platform, suitcase in hand, anxiously awaiting the opening of the train door. This year she didn’t make her husband come find her living it up at the bar. He had waited for her so she’d wait for him like she used to, before...well, before a lot of things.

The door opened and she felt her heartbeat faster as she watched Hades step off the train. It was a welcome sight after a full six months of separation. She couldn’t remember the last time she had gone this long without laying eyes on him. Persephone could tell that he was not expecting to find her waiting for him at the station, but the look on his face told her it was a welcome surprise.

“I missed ya.” Hades smiled as he greeted her.

Persephone gave him a wide grin. Every year, even when she was mad as hell because he was early, she loved to hear those three words in that deep, thick as gravel voice of his. It always brought a smile to her face, even if that smile was usually short-lived.

They both approached cautiously until they were right in front of each other.

“Hi.” Persephone swung her bag from side to side in front of her knees.

“Hi.” Hades adjusted his sunglasses.

Awkward smiles were exchanged by the pair, neither quite sure how to navigate the tentative new truce between them.

“You look good,” Persephone told him when she noticed his simple white button-down shirt instead of the usual pinstripe suit. She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen him in anything other than a suit. Damn, did he look good.

“You always look good,” he replied, earning him a coy smile.

She smoothed his shirt at his shoulder and chest, her hand lingering a little longer than necessary. It was so tempting to reach up and remove his sunglasses so she could see those beautiful dark eyes of his. Before she could act, a voice stopped her.

“Just kiss her already!”

Hades head snapped in the direction the shouting came from, looking thoroughly annoyed.

Persephone was surprised to see Eurydice sticking her head out the train window laughing at the awkward pair.

“Get off my train before I change my mind!” Hades yelled.

“You won’t change your mind,” the girl yelled back. “You don’t want to be stuck with me any longer than you already have been.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” he muttered. “Right pain in the ass you’ve been.” His voice grew louder to make sure Eurydice could hear. “Happy to be rid of ya.”

Persephone’s eyes darted between the two, trying to understand the new dynamic between Hades and the girl. “What’s going on?” She asked.

Hades turned back towards his wife and his face softened. “I’m fixing a mistake...one of many. She’s free to go.”

Her eyes widened as she took in his words and watched as a group of workers stepped off the train.

“They all are,” he added.

Eurydice, who had now made her way off the train, approached them and slapped Hades on the back before addressing Persephone. “I guess the old man has a heart after all.”

Persephone just stared, mouth open, having no idea what to say. Hades and Eurydice almost seemed...friendly, despite their bickering.

“Go find that poet of yours! And I don’t want to see either of you again for a very, very long time. You both better be old and gray before you grace us with your presence in Hadestown.”

“Well, if you two could get your act together and keep the seasons straight from now on, that’d sure help.”

Persephone had been waiting for Hades to lose his temper at the girl’s audacity, but he just frowned in response.

“Working on it,” he mumbled.

Eurydice turned to Persephone. “Don’t be too hard on him. I mean, be a little hard on him, but not too much.”

“Get outta here.” Hades turned Eurydice by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shove away from them.

Persephone took in the scene before her in absolute bewilderment. “I have no idea what’s happening right now.”

Hades turned his attention back to her as Eurydice walked away.

“Who are you and what have you done with my husband?” Persephone’s tone was playful, but his face turned serious at her rhetorical question. She immediately regretted her joke when she saw the shame and sadness in his eyes.

“Hopefully, a man with a heart you could have pity on. A man you could fall in love with again.”

The sincerity in his voice was almost too much to take. The truth was she had never stopped loving him. Even when she wanted to wring his neck, she still loved him. Now here he was standing in front of her not realizing that he was still the most important thing in the world. She was just gonna have to show him exactly how much he meant to her.

Her smile turned mischievous as she raised an eyebrow at him. “You gonna ask to lay me in the dirt next?”

His stern face relaxed as he chuckled a little. Hades turned a few shades darker, ichor rushing to his cheeks, as he recalled the outcome from the first time he had made that suggestion. “I figured we had a lot we should talk about before we—” He trailed off, gesturing awkwardly between them. He grabbed the back of his neck and let out an awkward laugh.

“We do. But the girl did have a good point.”

Hades gave her a questioning look.

“Just kiss me already!”

Hades smiled and placed a gentle hand on her cheek before lowering his lips to hers. It was nice, but not the passionate kiss Persephone had dreamt about every night for months. This kiss was brief and unsure. She regretted that things had gotten so bad between them that her own husband was hesitant to kiss her like he used to…like he should.

It reconfirmed what she had been dwelling on for the past six months...this was not going to be easy, them trying again. But then, nothing about them being together ever had been easy. Resolving herself to make sure they worked it all out, she slipped her arm through his and started for the train. “Come on, lover. Let’s go home. We’ve got some discussin’ to do…among other things.”

Once aboard the train, Hades put away her bag and sat on his usual bench opposite her in their private train car. There was an awkward silence for a few moments. They both opened their mouths to speak but stopped when they noticed the other about to do the same. Each let out a nervous laugh.

“Go ahead,” Hades encouraged.

“No. You first.”

He sighed, trying to gather his strength to begin this conversation. He had hoped she would take the lead in this conversation, lay out her terms for trying again and he’d follow. Whatever she requested, he’d do. When left to his own devices, he had done nothing but make one wrong move after another so he didn’t exactly trust himself to make this right. All he knew was that he couldn’t lose her again.

“I want to do right by you, Seph.”

She smiled at the nickname. He hadn’t called her that in ages and she realized how much she had missed it.

Surprising her further, he reached out and took her hands in his. He had removed his sunglasses, but he kept his focus on their joined hands, unable to look her in the eye as he spoke. “I know I’ve made mistakes and I don’t know how to make amends, but I really want to try.”

She squeezed his hands. “Letting Eurydice and the workers go is a fine start. Along with not coming to get me before it’s time.”

Hades let out a sigh of relief. Waiting had been difficult when all he wanted was to have her back home again, especially with the promise of a new start. The pleased look on her face when he was finally able to look up made the long wait worthwhile.

“But you’re not the only one who needs to make amends,” she continued. “I have made my share of mistakes too. We can work on them together.” She watched as his face lit up.

“I’d like that.”

She crinkled her eyes and nose at him as she smiled and he felt his heart flutter. It was by far his favorite smile of hers, and he couldn’t remember the last time it had been directed at him. He looked forward to making sure that he saw it more often. “Would you have dinner with me?”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “I usually do on the ride back down, don’t I?”

Of course, that had always been more out of necessity. They’d eat sandwiches or some other easy meal as the train made its way back underground, Hades with his face glued to some paperwork and Persephone staring out the window, taking in her last images of the world above. They usually ate in silence or traded barbs at one another from their respective seats.

“I had something a little different in mind tonight.” He flashed a smile that she hadn’t seen in a long time.

It made her feel as if she were only a few hundred years old again. She looked at him in anticipation, more than willing to let him sweep her off her feet like he had in her mother’s garden all those years ago. Persephone also had something a little different in mind.

With her hands still in his, he pulled her up and guided her towards the door at the back of their car. He held it open to reveal a finely decorated table basking in the soft glow of candlelight in the adjoining car.

“Would you do me the honor of dining with me this evening?”

Oh, that romantic old fool. Persephone narrowed her eyes at him. “Are you asking me on a date?”

“Well, I suppose I am.”

“And me being a married woman. Best hope my husband doesn’t find out.”

Hades let out a small laugh. “Wouldn’t want that. I hear he’s a mean old bastard.”

“Nah. He’s not so bad.” Persephone winked at him before stepping through the door.

“Well, I assure you, my intentions are honorable. I promise to keep the evening respectable.”

I certainly hope not, she almost said out loud.

With his hand on the small of her back, he led her to the table and pulled out her chair. Always the gentleman, her husband. He poured them both a glass of wine before lifting the covers off of the meal he had prepared. Steam rose off the plate in front of her.

“An actual hot meal?”

“Cooked it on the way up. I almost didn’t finish it before the train pulled up to the station. I’ll have to work on my timing for next year.”

“How?”

“Been doing some redecorating. There’s a lot of empty space on the train now that we aren’t taking passengers. I installed a kitchen several cars back. Been planning our reunion since you left.”

“You installed a kitchen on the train? Just to make me dinner tonight?” She was moved by his heartfelt gesture.

“Yeah,” he replied, looking a bit sheepish. “I mean it, Seph. I really want to make things right between us. I want to treat you right. Show you I mean it. We kinda rushed into things in the beginning so now I want to start over. Take things slow. Set a solid foundation and build back up to where we used to be. Better even,”

Of course, he would use building metaphors. Some things change, but others never do. “You gonna ask my mama for her blessing this time?”

“Now, let’s not get too crazy. I said I wanted to take things slow, not end up buried in your mother’s garden.”

She smiled into her wine glass before taking a sip. “Oh, you know I’d find you and dig you up. Besides, I think she might be warming up to you a little.”

“I doubt that very much.”

“I think she just plays it up out of habit. She knows by now that I’m madly in love with ya.” Persephone noticed the hitch in his breath and the sparkle in his eyes as she said that. It dawned on her that this was the first time in a long time that she had told him she loved him. It came so naturally now, whereas before, she had stopped seeing any point to voicing the sentiment out loud.

“Our epic fights can’t have helped my cause any in her eyes,” Hades said.

“I tried not to involve her in those. I didn’t speak an unkind word about you to her.” She may have let something slip a time or two down at the bar, but never to her mama. She didn’t want to give Demeter any additional reasons to dislike Hades. Of course, it didn’t matter much since their marital problems weren’t exactly a secret. “What’s between us is between us.”

And everyone within earshot, he thought. Or anyone who pays attention to the weather. Everyone knew what an absolute jackass of a husband he had been.

“Besides, after all that, if we’re still willing to give it a go, there’s no denying we still love each other. Wouldn’t put up with each other if we didn’t.” She crinkled her eyes and nose at him again over her wine glass before taking another sip.

“I’ll drink to that.” He grabbed the wine bottle to top off her glass, but she placed her hand over it, stopping him.

“No more for me. Thank you.”

The pleasantly surprised smile on his face was well worth the agony she had endured trying to cut back on her drinking. She was able to enjoy a glass or two these days without the need to drink herself numb.

He set the bottle down, not bothering to pour himself more either. “So tell me all about what you’ve been up to for the past six months.”

“You don’t usually like to hear about my time up above.” Things were going so well. She wasn’t looking to bring up anything that might start a fight.

He gave her a pleading look. Please. I’m trying here.

“Okay. Well, the flowers did well this year on account of there being an actual Spring.” Persephone continued to tell Hades all about the Spring and Summer months as they ate.

He tried to just enjoy the moment of her seated across from him. Not yelling, not arguing, not glaring at him over a bottle, just smiling and talking. While he had little interest in the world up above, he hung on her every word, wanting to take in everything she had to say. He still felt the stabbing pain of jealously when her eyes lit up as she talked about the good times she had away from him, but he tried to push those feelings away. He chose instead to focus on her happiness. Her happiness meant everything to him and he certainly didn’t want her miserable like he had been.

“What about down below?” She asked once she had finished recounting her summer. “It seems like there have been some changes while I was away.”

“Well, after...the incident—” He didn’t know what else to call the ordeal with the young lovers— “The workers were harder to keep in line. It only got worse when the girl came back. She had nothing to lose so she became an angry thorn in my side going on about better working and living conditions. To be fair, she had a point. I implemented her suggestions and I thought she’d be happier, but...well, she missed that boy. And I know all too well what it feels like to be separated from the one you love.”

He gave a sad smile and she reached over and squeezed his hand.

“I couldn’t have her moping around like a lovesick fool. Not enough room for both of us to be doing that down there.” He chuckled a little. “So the only thing I could think to do was send her back.”

The pleased look on Persephone’s face told him he had done well.

“It was the right thing to do. I know that now. You helped me see that. And that damn girl and her poet.”

“You’re fond of her.” Persephone smiled at how he had been trying to hide his growing affection for Eurydice. “I can tell.”

Panic washed over his face as he misunderstood her sentiment. “No.” He shook his head vigorously. “No, I...I didn’t. You should know...I’ve done a lot of bad things, but I could never do that to you. I’m not like my brothers. It was stupid but, I just wanted you to think that I could—”

“I know, Hades.” Reaching across the table, she took his hand in hers again and looked right into his eyes. “I know.”

The tension melting from him was palpable as he gave a relieved sigh.

“But you still care about what happens to her. Ain’t nothing wrong with that.”

“Yeah, well...she’s a good kid. I don’t know too much about him, but he seems decent enough. Not a lot of brains, but a lot of heart. He did give me another chance with the love of my life, so I owe him more than I could ever repay. If he can spend the rest of his life with the woman he loves, well, that’s the closest I can come to returning the favor.”

“And the rest of them?”

“If I let her go, I figured the best way to prevent a riot is to let all of the workers go. Some of them actually wanted to stay, if you can believe it. There isn’t as much for them to work on right now since the wall came down.”

“You tore down the wall?”

He nodded. “I just want to make you happy.”

For what seemed like the millionth time that evening she smiled at him. “I’m plenty happy right now, lover.”

“Good. That’s all I need.”

Standing up from the table, he walked over to a record player and started playing an old song that Persephone hadn’t heard in a long time. Walking back towards her, he held his hand out. “May I have this dance?”

Persephone didn’t think she could stop smiling if she tried. There had been some uncertainty about how their reunion was going to play out. There was still a lot of hurt to get over on both sides. She had her worries about trying again, but her husband was doing everything in his power to make their first evening back together perfect.

“I would be delighted,” she replied.

Taking her hand in his he pulled her to a small, but open spot between the record player and the table. Instead of pulling her close, he kept a firm hand on her waist, leaving far too much space between them for her liking. To her disappointment, it seemed he had been serious about having a respectable evening. She was set on convincing him otherwise.

“I don’t bite, lover.”

“Oh?” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I seem to recall that you do.”

Her laughter filled the small train car and it was the most beautiful sound Hades had heard in a long time.

“Okay, maybe sometimes. But I never heard you complainin’.”

“Certainly not.”

“So why are you keeping me at arm's length” she lifted his arms a little. “Literally at arm's length.”

He gave a shrug and a smile. “I like looking at ya.”

That was a very good answer. She had to give him that.

As she laughed at his response, he pulled her close to him, wrapping both arms around her.

“But I like holding ya too.”

Her arms made their way to his shoulders as she rested her head against his chest. They clung to each other as they swayed to the music. It was just like when they had danced when Orpheus was playing, but this time they didn’t have Hades’ decision and the long separation ahead of them weighing them down. This was where they both belonged. Not down below. Not up above. Just in each other’s arms. If they could always find their way back just like this, they’d be okay.

She would have been content to stay like that in his arms for the rest of the train ride, but she did have some other ideas that were also very appealing.

She glanced up to see the corner of her husband’s mouth turned up in a slight smile. His eyes were closed and he hummed softly with the music. Her hand found its way to his cheek, stroking the side of his face with her thumb. He opened one eye to glance down at her before placing a kiss on her forehead.

Her fingers traveled from his face, over his strong jaw, and down to his neck, gliding over the skin she longed to kiss. They moved further until they reached the collar of his shirt, sliding just above it. As they continued to sway, she hooked a finger under his shirt and before she could help herself, she was fiddling with the top button until it came undone.

She waited for him to say something, and continued on to the next button when he didn’t protest. After undoing it, she felt the deep rumble in his chest as he spoke.

“Seph?”

Busted. “Hmm?”

“What are you doing?”

“Boy, it really has been too long if you don’t know.” She didn’t bother to look up at him, instead choosing to focus on the next button of his shirt.

“I thought we were gonna take things slow?”

“I don’t recall agreeing to that.” She walked two fingers up his chest and bopped him on the nose.

She pulled out of his embrace slightly so she could use both hands to try and make quick work of the rest of his shirt, hoping he appreciated her concentrated effort of carefully undoing his buttons instead of ripping them open like she wanted to. It had been way too long.

“We can go as slow as you like,” she conceded, her eyes remaining on her nimble fingers as they popped open another button.” Just as long as we aren’t wearing any clothes.”

She looked up at him with a devilish grin, but it fell when she saw the conflicted look on his face. Doubts swirled through her mind in a matter of moments as he stared at her. She was moving too fast. She ruined what little progress they had made. He didn’t want this. He didn’t want her.

She was about to apologize when Hades stopped any words that may have left her lips with a searing kiss. It was a surprise for sure, but certainly not an unwelcome one. If their kiss earlier had not lived up to the expectation set in her mind, this one definitely exceeded it.

Far too caught up in the moment, she hadn’t realized that he had walked her backward until she hit the wall of the train car. Fortunately, his hand had been buried in the curls at the back of her head, preventing her from smacking it on the wall.

Now, this is more like it, she thought as he started to bunch up her dress at her hip.

She reached for his buttons once again but his hand found one of her wrists and held it firmly against the wall she was currently pinned to as his lips took a detour to her neck. The half-gasp half-moan she let out was downright obscene and she felt that cocky little smile of his form as he returned to her lips and continued to kiss her senseless. It was frustrating...and exciting. And didn’t that just describe their relationship perfectly?

As quickly as their kiss had started, it stopped as Hades pulled away abruptly, breathing heavily as his dark eyes stared into hers.

She was certain he saw in them exactly what she was seeing in his...desire. A desire that had been pent up for far too long.

Persephone took a few moments to catch her breath. “If that’s your idea of slow, I can’t say I’m opposed.”

“I saw the look on your face. I couldn’t let you think I didn’t want you. That’s never been an issue.”

“Well, after some time, a girl starts to worry.” Persephone smoothed out her dress, a futile effort as it was about to end up discarded and crumpled on the floor in a few minutes if she had anything to say about it. Tired of battling over his shirt buttons, she went straight for his belt making her intentions very clear, but he grabbed both of her hands in his and brought her knuckles to his lips for a quick kiss.

“It has been a long time, lover. So let’s try to make it home to a bed first before we go tearing each other’s clothes off.”

Persephone let out an exasperated sigh. “You know, with all the fun we used to have on this train and you never once had the thought to put in a bedroom. You put in a damn kitchen, but not a bed.”

“Why would we need a bedroom on a train that never travels more than a day’s journey?”

That was her man alright, as practical as he was oblivious. She held her hands up gesturing around her. “For this very reason since you seem so intent on bedding me proper.”

“We have a perfectly good bed at home. Several of them in fact.” He didn’t mention that they each had their own bed. Even though they were trying, he didn’t dare hope that he’d be welcome back in hers right away.

“Well, you know I ain’t ever been particular about the where.” She pressed on the table with both hands checking to see how sturdy it was.

She was relentless and he had always loved that about her, but he wanted her to see how serious he was about making things work between them. He wanted to treat her the way she deserved to be treated, something he had neglected to do for quite some time.

“I wanted tonight to be special. I wasn’t planning on having you right here on the dinner table.” He looked her up and down. “Despite how enticing that idea is right now.”

“I see what you’re trying to do, and while appreciated, it isn’t necessary. It’s been a long time, lover and I don’t want to wait anymore. I’ve been thinking about reuniting with you for six months. Six months! And we haven’t been together-together in a lot longer. You waited for me. I waited for you. Quite frankly, I think we’ve both waited long enough. I just want my husband, damn it!”

She could see him caving. He was resisting, but she got the impression that it was more for show than anything.

“My smart—” she took a step towards him. “Handsome—” another step closer. “Amazing— ” she was right in front of him now. “Stubborn as hell husband!” She placed a hand on his cheek and he leaned into it, shutting his eyes at the contact.

“It doesn’t matter where we are. Our first time was in the dirt,” she argued.

His eyes opened at the mention of that very fond memory. “Fair point.”

“Your idea.”

“I will concede to that as well.”

“And I recall that night being very special.”

“That it was,” he replied.

“I don’t need anything fancy. I just need you.”

Hades pressed his forehead to hers.

“We don’t have as much time together as other couples. I don’t want to waste a minute of it.”

That’s what did it. Those words resonated within him. She was right. They needed to make the most of the time they did have. That had always been his problem. He had cared more about quantity than quality when it came to time with her. He knew that needed to change. He’d accept the time they had together and make sure she was happy every second of it.

“So, you gonna lay me on this table or what?”

“No.”

“No?” She yelled in frustration.

Without warning, he scooped her into his arms. “Compromise.”

“Ha! I didn’t think you knew that word,” she teased.

“Better get used to it, lover. I see lots of compromises in our future.” He then carried her bridal style through a few train cars until he reached one in a half-decorated state with a large sofa.

“I don’t remember seeing this here before.”

“Told ya I was redecorating. I’m adding a sitting car. A little bit nicer for traveling. I didn’t have time to finish it with the kitchen and all, but I don’t plan on working during our trips anymore. And I figure I’ll ride up top with you too. As much as I don’t like you leaving, least I can do is see you off and spend as much time with my wife as possible. Just sitting and talking.”

“Among other things,” she added with a smirk.

He smiled down at her. “Among other things,” he repeated as he laid her down on the sofa and then joined her. “How did I ever think I’d be able to resist you if you had a mind to try and seduce me?”

“Hmm, must not have been thinking clearly.”

“Must not have been,” he said before he leaned down and kissed her.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————

“The train has been parked for 45 minutes now,” one of the few remaining Hadestown workers said to Hermes as they stood on the platform in Hadestown.

“Uh-huh.”

“You figure they’re gonna come out of there any time soon? We need the King’s input on some building plans.”

Hermes just shrugged his shoulders.

“You gonna let ‘em know they’ve arrived back home?”

“Brother, they’re in there either fighting or—” Instead of finishing the thought, he gave the worker a knowing look. “No matter which one, I ain’t interrupting.” Hermes had walked in on both scenarios several times in the past and none of those times were particularly pleasant for him. “They’ll come out when they’re good and ready. I’d wait a few days before you ask him anything. He’s gonna be a little preoccupied, I gather. Either in a really good mood or a really bad one, depending on what’s happening on that train right now.”

It was 20 minutes later, that the King and Queen finally stumbled off the train in varying states of disarray.

Persephone’s curls were a mess and the flower she wore in her hair, was about two seconds away from falling off.

Hermes eyed the reddish circles starting to darken on her neck.

Looking at Hades, his hair was sticking out in a few places and his shirt buttons weren’t aligned properly. Hermes could just make out red scratch marks peeking out from his collar. He still couldn’t tell if they had been fucking or fighting. Knowing them, probably both.

Now, Persephone could hold her own and he knew Hades would never hurt her, physically anyway, but Hermes felt very protective of his half-sister. “Everything okay?” He asked.

Hades glanced at Persephone and smirked. “Everything is great.”

Persephone smirked back as she looked up at him. “Really great.”

_Well, that answers that._ He had seen this before. They were like this when they were first married and here they were thousands of years later acting like two idiots in love. “Great.” Hermes rolled his eyes at the lovestruck pair. “I’ll be taking the train back now.”

Neither of them responded as they continued to gaze at one another.

“So...I guess I’ll be leaving now!” Hermes raised his voice this time, trying to catch their attention, but they only had eyes for each other.

“Bye.” Persephone waved him off.

“See you around,” Hades replied.

Hermes didn’t think that man was going to see anything that wasn’t Persephone for a good long while.


End file.
